I Don't Know If I Would Call It, Love
by Escaping Propriety
Summary: Vos Leandra Steele got a little drunk and fell asleep in the wrong bed with the wrong wizard. Now she's been sworn to tell him the truth and keep Voldemort from invading Hogwarts. Plus, she's pregnant and that oh so wrong wizard is Severus Snape. Wheee!
1. Just Another Muggle

Disclaimer: Yes, I know. I do not own (except for _Vos Leandra Steele_) any of the rights to this. The elusive J.K. Rowling does but a girl can dream, can't she?

_**Chapter One**_

_**Just another muggle**_

"Master, this little American tripe interfered with your command and now that traitor, Tonks, has escaped," hissed one of her captors as he threw her to the floor.

She tried to stand but charmed chains immediately emerged to seize her arms and legs. Vos noticed that the three men who had captured her were bowing and that they had unmasked themselves. The one that had spoken was tall, silver haired and his eyes were set with a cold blue tinge. A short mousy man was kneeling at his left, however the other on the right was more than recognizable to her.

He was the wizard that had hexed her into unconsciousness. Black oily hair that went past his chin with a matching set of cruel black eyes and a nose that looked as though it was going to take someone's eye out. Her attention was drawn away though when another voice came into hearing. An icy, harsh voice whose owner had to be someone overly creepy.

"This muggle?" The voice sounded on its own then continued in a shocked tone, "This disgusting piece of rubbish stopped three of my best from capturing that clumsy bird-brained Auror?!"

Vos nodded in agreement with a serious voice, "It's true. Now will you explain to me exactly what a muggle is and why I am here?"

The man with the voice came into the light. Her eyes widened with shock at the sight of him. His nostrils were snake-like slits and his eyes had a strange insane light to them, "You are a brave little muggle, aren't you?"

"Damnit, already," She breathed in annoyance, "Just tell me what the hell this is about then let me go and I will forget all about this."

Someone roughly kicked her in the stomach, "You will not speak to the Dark Lord in that disgusting manner, muggle."

The snake like man motioned for her attacker to stop, "That isn't necessary, Luscius. But I would prefer it if she were questioned then disposed of."

She tried to catch her breath as they stood her up and their lord turned to walk away then he stopped.

"Severus, I wish for you to interrogate her and then get rid of her."

Another pair of hands replaced the other ones that had been holding her as a curt voice replied from behind her shoulder, "Yes, my lord."

Then she felt them lead her out of the dark room and into a darkened hallway. There were no windows in the dank tunnel that she was being led down. The only lighting was torches that magically lit up when they passed by.

However, this didn't surprise her because she wasn't a muggle. She was an American witch that was supposed to have rendezvoused with one of the members of the Order of the Phoenix then been given an assignment to help fight the Dark Lord. The one glitch was that while she went looking for the contact, she had come across another witch being attacked by three other wizards. Her instinct told her to help the woman but her wand was in her luggage and she could not reveal to them that her magic did not require a wand. So, she threw herself on the silver haired one and knocked him away but the dark haired one had stunned her. What happened after that was a blur and what was going to happen next was being predicted in her mind as they marched her down the tunnel.

"Here. I will interrogate her here," addressed the sharp nosed man to the others, "I believe that I can handle a simple muggle."

They both looked from him to her then they walked back into the darkness. Erica made small eye contact with the wizard in the dark but he didn't seem to be paying that much attention to her. He drew his wand as he turned away to one of the blank walls that they had stopped by and he tapped the wall in a precise rhythm.

"What's that?" Vos asked in the best muggle manner she could think of, "It looks like a stick."

He didn't answer except to shove her through a hole in the wall that appeared as though by magic. She stumbled through and was met by a cold empty room. Erica looked back to the wizard as he stepped through after her and begun to remove his cloak. The shred of cloth fell to the dusty floor revealing more black robes underneath as he started creeping closer to her with his wand in hand.

"Your name?"

Vos decided that perhaps she shouldn't act so bold. _Maybe she should go for the pathetic, weak muggle act_, "Why do you need to know my name? Just let me go. Please."

He was unaffected by her pleas though as he persisted with more coldness, "Your name and why you attacked myself and my associates."

"I-"

However, he flicked his wand at her and instantly, she felt the words spill out, "Vos Leandra Steele."

An Honesty Charm. She didn't think that this wizard would be so humane. Cruciatus charm or Verisaterum seemed to be more like the Death-Eater style.

"Fine, now, Ms. Steele. I don't want to have to resort to more callous measures so why don't you simply explain yourself and maybe I will consider not killing you," the wizard worded these words slowly and deliberately to her as though she were a simpleton.

Vos took a deep breath before she began, "I came here for a vacation. To get away for a while and I got out of the airport, took a cab to where I was going to meet an old college friend and then I saw you attacking some poor woman. I couldn't just let you hurt her so I interfered and now you see my current position in the matter."

He had been circling her like some sort of strange bird of prey but as her words faltered; so did his steps, "Am I to understand that you did not know the woman before then?"

She almost answered but then she felt it. He was trying to enter her mind and she couldn't fight it or else, he would suspect something. So, she quickly answered, "No. Look, just let me go."

His eyes widened in confusion as she fell to her knees in a weeping manner, "Don't kill me! Please! I just want to leave…."

Then she crumbled to the floor, sobbing while the Death-Eater stared down at her in disbelief. Vos, on the other hand, was silently laughing on the inside. She was crying, tears were coming out of her eyes but she could feel that he was falling for this scared muggle act.

"Fine. You are free," he waited for her to stand then he turned his wand on her, "_Obliviate!"_

She felt the charm hit her and she was losing consciousness fast but the one thing that the Death-Eaters didn't find was her own personal talisman that was hanging around her neck and protecting her against almost all magical injury; yet none of the physical. Vos realized this as she slid back against the wall and gave him a small smile as she sank to the floor in a collapsed heap.

)(

Silence filled the air as Severus watched the muggle woman sleep through the charm's aftereffects then he remembered that he still had to dispose of her. He sighed in annoyance as he pointed his wand at her again for another spell but he stopped for a moment and took a good look at her.

Her hair was as black as his own was yet her skin was a strong bronze compared to his own ashen complexion and she boasted the curvature that all of the other female Death-Eaters seemed to be in dire need of. Then her eyes, when he had seen them through the dimness, were a deep murky black that he had only seen in his own reflection.

"Vos Leandra Steele," He muttered in then he sneered at his own thoughts, "Just another muggle."

Snape didn't bother to think anymore on the subject except to say with a flick of his wand, "_Wingardium Leviosa."_


	2. Just One of Those Days

**Chapter 2**

**Just One of Those Days**

Someone was throwing rocks at her. She could feel the rocks hit her chest then fall into her lap but when Vos opened her eyes; it was just an elderly witch throwing some Knuts onto her in thinking that Vos was a vagrant that was living on the streets. Vos smiled at the witch then she rose from the concrete.

The Death-Eaters appeared to have dumped her on the street where she had found them when they were attacking the other woman. Vos didn't have any idea about where she was at but she did have an idea about that pub across the street, The Leaky Cauldron.

"Vos, all you have in this world is luck. Blind, unreliable luck but you still got it," mumbled Vos as she gathered up her luggage that the Death-Eaters had so conveniently left behind so that she could find them.

Upon entering the pub, she could see that British wizards and witches were in no way similar to American ones. They didn't dress like the modern witch or wizard but instead, still wore the traditional robes and the pointed hats. She had never seen a witch wear a pointed hat except for that muggle holiday, Halloween and that holiday wasn't suppose to come for another four months.

"Hello."

She looked to the bar where the voice was coming from an old man wiping out a glass and she replied, "Oh, hello. Um, do you have any vacant rooms?"

"Yes. How long will you be staying?"

Vos sighed in thought, "Maybe for a few days. How much?"

The bartender put down the glass and looked at her, "4 galleons a night and 15 for a week."

Her account was holding more than could be spent in several lifetimes and she was not a cheap woman but Vos felt uncertain if she wanted to stay in London or go home.

Until one more voice came into the conversation, "Don't worry about that, Tom. She won't be needing a room."

Vos turned around in confusion then a smile came to her face as she stepped forward to give her old friend a hug, "Moody! I am so glad to see you."

The aged Auror grinned in mirth, "Vos, it has been a long time," then he grabbed her by the shoulders and held her out at arm's length, "Are you still practicing?"

"Constant vigilance? Of course."

He chuckled then swung an arm over her shoulder and pulled her over to the table where her luggage was, "So, why did you not arrive yesterday as planned?"

"It's a long story," muttered Vos in an exhausted manner.

Mad-Eye signaled to Tom to get her a drink then he reach into his pockets for his own flask,

"Well, let's hear it and then we can get on to headquarters."

A glass sailed through the air and clunked itself down in front of her, "Okay. So I am coming out of the airport and I take a cab to the meeting point and I wait for a few minutes then I hear someone yelling. I go over to the alley next to me and I see a bunch of men attacking some chick who had some really purple hair and those guys were wizards," Moody watched her pause in the story to take a drink then wince at the burn, "Ooh, Firewhiskey. Oh, anyways, I thought about helping then I remembered that like an idiot, I had packed my wand with my luggage and I couldn't release my other magic without there being a big fuss about it from your 'Ministry' so I just jumped in and ended up getting stunned."

"Stunned?" Moody growled in surprise, "Did I teach you nothing?"

This was the reason that she didn't want to tell Moody. He wouldn't have taken it well that she had jumped into a fight with three other wizards without a wand and in front of a muggle, no less, but he calmed down as he drank some more from his flask, "What happened afterwards?"

"I woke up in some dark room with three Death-Eaters and Voldemort the snake man."

As soon as the words came from her mouth, whatever liquid was in Moody's mouth flew out and onto her as he choked, "Good lord, woman! Why didn't you tell me this in the beginning?"

Vos breathed through her nose and attempted to wipe off the spit that was dripping down her face to her front, "Maybe I should have. Then you wouldn't have spitted on me! Aww, and these clothes were comfy…"

Moody looked down at her muggle shirt and shorts with confusion, "Neeki. What is Neeki?"

"It's Nike and it's some sort of muggle brand but this shorts are hella comfy," Vos watched as a handkerchief was thrown at her by Mad-Eye, "Oh, thanks," she wiped her clothes off then made a small dissatisfied whimper in disappointment when she realized that the stains were starting to set in.

"Now, don't be such a baby," muttered Moody as he pointed his wand at her, "_Tergeo."_

The spit siphonedoff, leaving her shirt clean and her with a small amused smile, "Well, back to my story, anyway, I fooled all of them into thinking that I was just some weak American muggle fresh off the boat, when one of them attempted to use a memory charm but I happened to fight the effects even though I still passed out."

"The Death-Eaters? Were you able to identify them?"

Vos shrugged then she emptied her glass and it caused her to wince again, "Whew, that is strong but no. I know that one was named Lucius and another was named Se- Sevin- Seva-…oh, to hell with it. Anyways, it was Sev-something or yeah, something like that."

But Moody wasn't listening. He was ordering her another glass and not just a glass, a bottle or two, so it looked.

"Moody, what are you doing?" asked Vos in a slightly drunken tone.

Her mentor looked at her with a smile then he replied, "You've had a tough day. I think that you need something to help you relax. Besides, I remember when I visited your family in America; you were quite the party girl."

"I was eighteen and I had a horrible influence around me. You and my father."

Moody chuckled at the memories he had from his visit to America, "We tried to warn you that Firewhiskey was a strong drink."

"Right. You say that then you buy me a couple of rounds and let me make a fool of myself by standing on top of the tables and singing "I Put A Spell On You," she crossed her arms in skepticism, "I highly doubt that you guys were being all that parental."

Two bottles landed in front of them and Moody gestured for her to take one, "You might as well. You successfully escaped the Dark Lord and are making your way into becoming one of the greatest witches in your tribe. Be proud."

Vos shook her head in amused disbelief, "No, I am not but that won't stop me from having a few drinks."

The aged wizard looked at her with appraise, "Just a few? I highly doubt that."

)(

Moody couldn't remember the last time that he had such a good time. They practically shut down the place and Vos had been better company than he expected. He tried to shush her as they entered the Order's headquarters.

"Shhhhh. Everyone's asleep."

He heard Vos giggle drunkenly behind him, "He he he, right, right, right. Okay, where am I supposed to be staying?"

The Auror pointed upstairs, "The third room on the left. One of our spies uses it but he doesn't usually come around here that much except for meetings so go ahead."

"Thank-" Vos tripped over the first step of the stairs and was trying to silence her giggles, "I think that I am drunk. What do you think?"

She watched him shake her head and send her luggage flying up the stair with a flick of his wand, "Good night, Leandra."

He helped her up and laughed as she stumbled up the stairs then contemplated which way was left or right. It took her nearly ten seconds before she realized that there was only one hallway and it was to the right. Moody shook his head at her again before he sat down in the sitting room and fell asleep in one of the armchairs.

Vos, on the other hand, barely made it to her room. She tried to use the walls as support but eventually, her drunkenness caused her to lose her common sense and she stumbled raucously to the third door on the left. She opened it and was greeted by a room with a surprisingly large bed. Vos took the other bottle of Firewhiskey out of her pocket and set it on the nightstand next to the door then she went to check out her surroundings The sheets were cotton and her bathroom was adequate enough.

Vos yawned as she took off the shirt and shorts; leaving her in a white camisole with some black boxers. A loud whoomph sound came from the bed as she flopped onto the bed and instantly passed out.

)(

He heard Moody before he even saw him and he just shook his head at the snoring wizard as he passed by the sitting room to get to the stairs.

"Constant vigilance," muttered Snape as he climbed the stairs, "Bloody hell."

Reaching the top was quite a chore as he had been on his feet all day and there was nothing else in the world that he desired other than a night's rest. Snape walked to his room but the first thing that he noticed when he opened the door was the Firewhiskey on the nightstand.

Snape held up the bottle in confusion and thought, _if this is that bothersome klutz's way of gratitude then perhaps she is more intelligent than I imagined_. A small smirk made its way up to his face as he took off the cap and downed the first half of the bottle. The smirk left and exhaustion mixed with instant intoxication came into his mind as he closed the door after shuffling into the room.

He used his wand to flick off his garments. The shoes threw themselves under the bed as his robes folded themselves on the nightstand and he was left standing in a long night shirt with the bottle still in his hand. Snape held the bottle up to his ear and swished the contents around to test how much remained but as soon as the bottle came to eye level, he instantly gulped down the rest.

Somehow, through the drunken haze, he set the bottle down and crawled into the bed.


	3. A Messy Morning

_**Song is Blood by Kacy Crowley, awesome song.....**_

_**Chapter Two**_

_**Messy Morning**_

_One year it rained on Christmas_

_He said lets just pretend we're in Paris_

_but I wasn't having it_

_No I was killing it_

_I think his soul his soul had a drain in it _

_Not exactly the best song to wake up to_, Vos thought when she heard her alarm go off. She sighed as the music continued on and unfortunately for her, she rolled right off the bed.

A slight thump was the only sound that came as she hit the wooden floor but she didn't dare to make any other noise because she realized that there was someone else in here. Her eyes had found a mirror on the opposite side of the room, facing the bed and the reflect was showing that someone else was lying the bed. Then it got worst. She was only in her camisole with her underwear on and her boxers were gone.

Desperately, she pulled the sheets to the ground and quietly rolled herself in them to craft a make-shift skirt but she ceased when she saw the stranger rise out of bed. Vos crawled under the bed and realized that her alarm ring was still going. She twisted the ring around her finger three times and after the third twist, the music ceased.

_Great birthday present, Dad_, Vos thought with sarcasm as she waited for the intruder to stand so that she could hex him.

Snape, on the other hand, couldn't recall a better night's sleep in years. He wasn't sore and neither was he drowsy. The light was streaming in through the curtains and he could hear the others downstairs making morning breakfast which didn't matter because he never ate with any of the other members. For which, he knew they were most thankful for and so was he.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed. His clothes were laid out for him as he remembered and his shoes were under the bed then he looked in the mirror; his eyes widened in wonder.

_Where is my bloody shirt_, thought Snape as he stood up from the bed after noticing that he was only in his boxers and looked around the room. There was luggage in the room and it wasn't his so whose was it; _a question that one of them will have to answer_, Snape thought. He found his shirt thrown across the room but he dismissed the thought of why it was there.

Vos still laid underneath the bed. She recognized him as the Death-Eater from the other day but how he was able to make it to headquarters was simply dazzling to her. Vos watched him dress and was amazed by how pale he was. Scars were printed across his back and the only color seemed to arise from the tattoo on his arm. His hair looked as though it had not been washed in a few months and his features were very reminiscent of the gargoyles that she had seen on top of old churches. A somewhat tall slender man with a bit of a morbid mood about him.

Then she stopped being cautious as her mind started contemplating why he would have spent the night in here and in that moment, Vos knew that this was going to be a messy morning. Cold anger and outrage swept through her as her hand tightened on the sheets. Her boxers were gone and he was practically naked; that only meant one thing and for him, it was either the worst mistake he ever made or he was simply unlucky.

Snape was finished dressing as he walked to door and braced himself for all of the nuisance that he was going to endure but someone had some unfinished business to take care of. He reached for the doorknob when something stopped him.

"Morning," came a bright cheery voice as he turned around to face a woman who was in a white camisole with the bed sheets wrapped around her waist.

Snape started to answer her but then she made a swiping motion in the air and screamed, "_Stupefy!"_

The spell hit him square in the chest and blasted him through the door. Vos watched the door shatter then waited for him to rise from the floor and she wasn't surprised that when he did, he also drew his wand out, "Bloody hell! Who are you and what do you think you are doing?"

Vos smiled and pulled a rubber band off of her wrist to pull her hair back, "Remember me? Well, how do you like me now?"

His eyes widened in shock as he recognized the muggle that he had obliviated from a few days ago, "You?!"

"Damn straight, pervert!"

She worked the same spell as she swiped the air again but as she released it, Snape prepared himself and sprinted away. He headed towards the stairs in hope that one of the others might help him but she was fast.

Vos stomped out the door after him and he noticed that she was still holding up the sheets for a skirt that gave him an idea. Snape stopped at the stairs and turned his wand on her, "_Diffindo!"_

The sheets received a huge split, revealing a good portion of her legs and causing her to drop the sheets in shock then she looked at up him with a dirty look, "Bastard! You are going to pay for this!"

"For what? I don't even have the slightest idea of why you are attacking me!"

Vos started throwing every spell that she could think of and Snape defended himself at every turn, even throwing out some of his own but it wasn't a quiet duel.

"Filthy pervert!"

"Crazy witch!"

"I am the crazy one? You're the one who's crazy enough to walk into enemy headquarters!"

"I am not. I am a member of the Order and I will explain everything if you will simply desist!"

"Why? So you can take advantage again, you-"

"You-"

"You-"

Finally she gave up on her insult and instead said, "You disgust me and you better hope that you are a better fighter than a liar!"

Snape responded back, "You are being ridiculous and are overreacting."

Those were some of the worst words to say to an angry woman and he realized that as he watched her attitude change from fury to pure harsh determination. She swiped the air in the direction where his wand was and disarmed him but she wasn't finished. _Screw this_, Vos thought, _I'll show him who's ridiculous_.

Vos marched up to him and swung an uppercut right into his oversized nose. His hand immediately went up to his injured nose and Snape tried blinking back the tears when he understood that she was far from finished. She shot an arm in the air then Snape found himself dangling upside down and facing an angry witch who seemed to be capable of murder at the moment.

"Now I am going to ask you only one question," Vos snarled, "And if I don't like the answer then I am going to hurl you down those stairs."

He looked into her eyes with a stony bearing and then he answered in a controlled yet angry voice, "Yes, it's true. The inadequacy of American witchcraft is quite amusing."

Vos's features stayed the same although her tone was one of coldness, "And British cheek will get you nowhere except perhaps to the bottom of those stairs."

Her arm went through the motion of throwing something but it wasn't just thin air as Snape went flying down the stairs. Vos watched him hit the floor then groan and turn over onto his stomach to catch his breath. She walked down the stairs with a smirk of triumph on her face then instantly stopped when she heard other people in the kitchen. Vos panicked and tried to run back up the stairs but Snape wasn't finished.

His wand, unfortunately, had only been a few inches away from him when he noticed that she was trying to run up the stairs but what he didn't notice was that other people were in earshot; maybe if he had then he wouldn't have tried this.

"_Accio!" _Snape cried then watched as she flew back down the stairs.

Vos felt the spell pull her back down the stairs and as she reached him, he used the momentum to slam her against the wall. His wand was poked underneath her chin as he held her against the wall with his forearm pushed against her shoulders, "Now, I want you to take a moment to calm down."

"When I get out of this, you are going to be so sorry."

Snape was accustomed to being threatened as he asked with aloofness, "Really, then why don't you explain to me what it is exactly that I have to be sorry for?"

"Hmm, let me think. I wake up halfway naked with you, a Death-Eater, that I had just been a captive of, and you have the gall to ask me why **you** should be sorry?"

It was strange to hear an American accent, especially an angry one and Snape didn't know how to react to this accusation except to say, "What you are implying is simply absurd and I will not allow you to make a mockery of yourself or me."

Vos's expression changed from angry to one of incredulous disbelief, "That is all that you are worried about? Whether or not, I make a mockery of you?"

She didn't wait for his response. Vos curled a leg around his and threw them both to the floor. With a hand around the wand, they both tried to undo the other's hands but she didn't mind fighting dirty. Moving her head forward, Vos bit his hand and he let go but Snape wasn't unopen to the idea of fighting dirty either.

A knee struck her in the stomach causing her to curl up and her own foot to kick out in reply to hit him in the side. Snape ignored the jab as he grabbed the wand when she curled up and then he scrambled to get up. Vos saw that he was about to get away.

With a swish of her hand, he fell forward as though tripped and when he turned onto his back, she dove onto him. Her elbows slammed into his chest causing him to grunt in pain then he flipped himself over onto her when she tried to crawl away after snatching his wand. Vos reacted by throwing it across the room then she tried to kick him away but he held onto her until he pinned her to the floor.

Finally, she stopped. This caused Snape to look at her with slight confusion and caution, "May I ask what you are doing now?"

"I quit," Vos said curtly, "I quit. I can't remember what happened last night except that I passed out, woke up with you, blasted you through the door, and now, I am fighting with you on the floor over a damn wand that I don't even need," she craned her neck and looked down at her self, "And I am in my underwear. I don't think that this can possibly get any worse."

Vos dropped her head back on the floor and was closing her eyes in frustration but opened them in surprise when someone else started yelling. Someone that she had really hoped wouldn't see this.

"Get your damn dirty hands off of her, Snape!"

She looked up at Moody in astonishment as he brandished his wand in a threatening way at her attacker whom she realized had never told her his name. Snape quickly stood up as he realized how his current position must look to Moody then he saw the Weasleys and a few other people behind them_. This isn't going to be good_, Snape thought then he looked down at the woman, he had been fighting.

_She was right_, mused Snape with a flicker of his eyes, _she is in her underwear, _then he quietly scolded himself on his last thought. Vos noticed the way that he looked down at her and she instantly narrowed her eyes at him in dislike but her attention shifted to the people that were looking down at her. In her underwear.

Fortunately, Moody took off his cloak and threw it at her when she stood up. Vos covered herself with it but while she did, a few comments reached her ears.

"Since when is Snape so lucky?"

"I don't know. Do you think that she is going to be our new D.A.D.A. teacher?"

"Well, if she is, it won't make a difference because I am not a student anymore."

"Don't even think about it, Fred."

Her cheeks were turning red from embarrassment and humiliation however Moody wasn't done yet. He still had his wand pointed at Snape and he raised it to hex him.

"Stup-"

"Alastor!"

Everyone turned to look at the tall silver-haired wizard that had stopped Moody. Vos hadn't noticed him until he'd spoken and she was somewhat curious about how he had enough influence to stop the angry Auror.

Moody spoke up first, "Albus! Albus, this man has done something to this girl and I will not stand down and allow him to go unpunished."

"What has he done?"

The wizard's question seemed to smash Moody's resolve and caused him to look at Vos for an answer. Vos met the old man's eyes, which were a strange twinkling baby blue and coincidentally, so were his robes, "Sir, allow me to introduce myself, Vos Leandra Steele but please call me, Vos. If you don't mind, may we move this to a more quiet spot?"

The wizard smiled at her as he noticed her embarrassment and he nodded then directed them to the kitchen. Vos walked past the people, trying to avoid any eye contact and trying not to let them see her discomfort. The kitchen had a small table with some chairs which Vos sat down on and hoped that this would never be reported to her family.

**C'mon....make my day by pressing the review button.**


	4. The Wench and A Slimy Rat

Within seconds after she had sat down, Snape entered with the old wizard and Moody walked in after them. Honestly, she didn't know what to expect and everything in her experience was telling her that this was going to be very dramatic. Especially, when Snape sat opposite of her and glared at her with a very distinctive curl of lip.

"Now, Vos," the old wizard began, "I am Albus Dumbledore, the head of the Order of the Phoenix and the one who had asked you to come here."

Vos smiled at him, meekly, "It is good to finally meet you in person. Even though I had hoped we would convene under more pleasant circumstances."

Dumbledore nodded then turned to look at Moody, "Now exactly why were you going to attack Severus?"

"Because when I had found him, he was on top of her and she was indecently and more than likely, involuntarily exposed," said Moody as he glared at Snape.

Vos watched the old man look from her to Snape then he asked in an amused tone, "Would any of you care to shed some light on the matter?"

She shot a snide look at Snape which said, _'Yes, why don't you?"_, and he in turn, cocked his head in a way that was saying in a unwavering manner, _"Fine. Watch me."_

"The matter at hand, Headmaster, is that this woman attacked me and then proceeded to steal my wand after throwing me down a flight of stairs," all of this was spoken in a drawling tone but his eyes were flashing an accusing look in her direction as he said it.

Vos shook her head with a disbelieving expression on her face, "Excuse me, attacked you? Why don't you tell them why I attacked you?"

"Yes, Severus, why did she attack you?" Dumbledore inquired with an innocent smile.

He couldn't believe that Dumbledore was actually enjoying this and even smiling but Snape answered his question in a low tone, "Because, we both happened to have woken up in the same bed an-"

"And," Vos emphasized in an angry tone, "We just both happened to be halfway undressed and he just happens to have been the Death-Eater that had stunned me the other day."

Moody suddenly spoke up, "He's the one that stunned you?"

She nodded and then added, "Yeah and he's also the one that tried to interrogate me. Isn't it strange that we keep bumping into each other?"

_Okay_, Vos thought, _I didn't mean for me to sound that sarcastic but hey, this apparently isn't sinking in to any of them_. She cleared her throat to catch their attention, "To be frank, I don't remember what happened last night. I had quite a bit to drink and I had passed out. So, for all I know, I could have simply passed out and nothing could have happened but I know for sure, that I did not remove my clothes and I did not invite him into the bed."

Seveus sneered at her, "Drunk? You attacked me even though you knew that last night you were drunk?"

Now it was her turn to be embarrassed but she simply turned back to him and retorted, "Don't think that I didn't notice that my other bottle of Firewhiskey was gone. Any idea where it went?"

Vos had no idea that anyone other than herself could give such a wicked stare but there he was giving her the worst death glare that she had ever received until Dumbledore coughed to catch Snape's eye.

"Severus, do you know what she is implying?"

He looked at the old wizard then nodded, "Of course and…….I did drink that bottle and I did pass out as well."

Moody slammed his hand on one of the kitchen counters in triumph, "See that, Albus? He confessed that he was in the room and drinking. Who knows what he might have done?"

"Alastor," Dumbledore warned in a firm voice, "He admitted to drinking then passing out. He didn't admit to being intimate with this woman or harming her in any way."

Vos knew that Dumbledore was right and she was starting to feel that she might have overreacted but her feelings of remorse were put to a stop by Snape's next sentence.

"Did any of you stop for a moment to think that maybe she was the one who forced herself on me?"

The only reply to that was stunned silence.

Vos knew that she should control herself but she couldn't. Her reaction broke the silence as she gave him a really disgusted look and said with complete revulsion, "Ewww."

All of the men looked at her with complete surprise and Vos, herself, couldn't believe that she had actually said that. She should have prepared herself for a snappy comeback from Severus but what he said next was unbelievable.

"Madam, we do not need to hear the comments of every man that has ever been intimate with you."

A cold smile came onto her face as she countered, "Touché, but neither do we need to know the wishful thinking of a conniving scumbag who hasn't seemed to be intimate with anyone for what looks to be a few decades or so."

"And I assume that your personal life is one of endless encounters."

Now he was sneering and that was getting on her nerves, "My personal life is my business and mine only. The only reason, you are even in this conversation is because there is a huge possibility that you forced yourself into it."

"Actually, I am under you have me under the impression that you do not require any forcing at all," Severus alleged with a smirk, "At least, most Americans don't."

That was the last straw for Moody. He pulled out his wand and faced Snape with uncontrolled fury, "Do not speak to her that way or you will find yourself being the target practice of the Ministry's Aurors!"

Vos stared at him and tried to calm him down, "Moody, it's all right. Put your wand down. I don't want you to get in trouble, especially over this. It's not worth it."

Moody glanced from Snape to her then over to Snape than back at her again before he decided to lower his wand, "I promised your father that you would come home unharmed."

"Well, he knew that there was a risk when he allowed me to leave and don't think that this is your fault," Vos spoke softly to Moody then she turned to Snape, "There is no proof to disregard your claim that I allegedly forced myself on you but there is also no evidence to disregard my own claim. So, seeing how you were already checking me out, it isn't hard to guess that you were in fact the aggressor."

"I was looking at you because I could not believe that there were women who would actually dare to reveal themselves in public in such a lecherous conduct," He said then looked at her with a raised eyebrow which made his expression looked as though he found her to be nothing more than frivolous.

Severus noticed that she was becoming more and more impassive. That was strangely unnerving, especially to him, who had always accompanied people who were usually slaves to their emotions and he had always been the calm collected one. His eyes looked for any sign of anger and his ears waited for her next comment; he didn't have to wait too long.

"If I remember correctly, you were the one who had caused me to expose myself. Another sign that you are nothing more than a perverted middle-aged wizard that can barely cast a spell, much less hope that you could ever have any chance to be the object of anyone's affection," Vos said this with as much snideness as she could muster and its implication wasn't lost on him, either.

Her smile seemed almost nasty and it almost made him want to slap her but instead, he allowed his words to be his weapon, "I can't even begin to envision the horrors of being the object of your affection."

"Oh yeah? Well, I can't even begin to imagine the last time you washed your hair."

"Probably around the time that you were getting drunk and making a fool out of yourself."

"Oh, and you are a much better drunk than me, right? At least, I didn't force myself on you."

"Bloody hell, woman! **I did not force myself on you**. When are you going to get that through that thick skull of yours?"

"The very moment, you clean yours out and admit what happened."

Snape was going to snap at her but Dumbledore raised a hand to silence him. He obeyed and shot her a death glare instead. Vos smiled at him, pleasantly and then moved her finger across her throat in a threatening way.

Dumbledore watched them then shook his head in an exasperated yet amused way, "You two have quite a dilemma on your hands but I think that the best way to solve this is to just say that nothing happened," he watched their expressions look at him in doubt, "Or you could agree that you were both willing partners."

The headmaster had never seen two derisive sneers at once and none of them had ever been at his dispense. Moody wasn't surprised by either of their actions; he would be just as cutting about this matter as they were.

Vos couldn't believe that he wanted her to consider these options. _Declare that nothing happened or admit that you were game_, thought Vos in fury, _like hell, am I going to say that I was a willing participant_.

The same thoughts were running through Severus's mind. _Dumbledore must be mad if he thinks that I am going to admit to sleeping with this, this_, Snape sneered at her as he thought, _wench_.

Her eyes were brimming over with dislike and his were meeting hers with just as much if not more disdain than ever.

"So, what will it be?" Dumbledore asked before they could start insulting each other again.

Moody noticed her exasperation as she mumbled in a disheartened voice, "Nothing happened."

But Snape wasn't finished with her, "What did you say?"

Again, she mumbled, "Nothing happened."

"I am sorry. I still can not understand your incessant mumbling."

Vos though knew that he was trying to antagonize her so she simply raised her voice and spoke in a clearer tone, "I said that nothing happened and perhaps, if there wasn't so much grease stuck in your ears then you might actually be able to hear."

"I assure you that my hearing and hygiene are adequate but it's that American accent of yours that seems to be hindering what you are trying to say."

She rolled her eyes and then crossed her arms as though to say that she had enough of this. Snape smirked as he realized that this was going to be settled quietly and he looked to Dumbledore to realease them. Dumbledore noted Severus's action and nodded.

Vos watched him rise and walk away in a satisfied strut. His footsteps could be heard as he walked away and Dumbledore was quietly talking to Moody so no one had their eyes on Vos. A tiny smile formed on her lips as she raised an open palm and blew the slimy rat a kiss.

Within a second, a sound came from outside the kitchen that caused instant silence in the house. It was the distinct sound of Snape face-planting it on the stairs and then the scream of anger that came afterward made Vos jump an inch off of her chair. Dumbledore and Moody were surprised by Snape's unusual lack of grace until they saw the woman in the chair silently giggling.

She tried to suppress them when she heard him coming back down to the kitchen and his heavy stepping was saying that he was more than just a little pissed off. Then they heard Snape stop outside the kitchen door and a few seconds passed until he opened door to look in on her. Their eyes met in a battle of plain fury and her expression didn't change except for a small smirk as she blew him another kiss from across the room.

**Please review!! I can't tell if anyone wants to hear anymore....or not.**


	5. Family Tea

**Chapter Three**

**Family Tea**

The next few days were very awkward and slow for Vos as she tried to keep her sanity at Number 12, Grimmauld Place. Not an easy thing to do when everyone around you had witnessed you in your underwear wrestling a greasy git that had supposedly spent a drunken night with you then the both of you had been trying to convince the others that nothing happened and still, nobody believes you. Oh, and the greasy git is still out to get you.

Vos couldn't believe that all of this had happened within a few days of being away from home. At the moment, she was sitting in her room, curled up underneath the blanket and hoping that she wouldn't have to rise to face the day. All of her thoughts kept going back to her family and her tribe in America.

She could still see the cold blue mountains that surrounded the quiet basin and the way that the rain would hit the dirt, making small swirls rise from the powder. Her father, one of the old veterans that came back from the war in England, and her mother, one of the last healers left in her tribe were a hazy memory to her. Vos had come from a noble line of witches and wizards yet she chose to leave when everyone wanted her to stay.

Her sister was already married as their tradition demanded and her brother was undergoing the training that she had surpassed in order to be recognized as a warrior. For four years, she had trained with her cousins to be faster, stronger, and honorable. The last test, the test of honor, though was the one that Vos had to pass before she could be truly recognized as a warrior of her people and it didn't look like she was going to be exceeding it at anytime soon.

One small incident was all that it took to throw off a person's balance in their mind, their physical health and as well as their magic which could be left in shambles. She had seen it happen so many times to her family and friends. Girls fall in love and theirs hearts get broken then they quit being ishiwhite or Coyotes as their tribe had dubbed the warriors. Men go through tramatic incidents or see someone killed then they quit just as the women do and their magic becomes weakened.

That was Vos's fear at the moment. What if her magic would wane and fade away or what if she would become incompetent and went home as a disgrace then what would she say to her family? What would they say to her?

Tears formed and fell as sudden dread slipped into her heart then came a knock at her door. She cleared her throat and wiped her face with her sleeve as she answered, "Yes?"

"Vos?" It was Moody, "There's someone here to see you."

Her sheets went flying as she crawled out of bed and made her way to the door, "Who is it?"

The door popped open, allowing a shorter and older version of Vos to come flying through, "Vos!"

She turned just in time to see her sister come running in and tackle her into the bed then her sister proceeded to crush her as she screamed, "Didn't you miss me?!"

"When did you get here?" wheezed Vos as she tried to untangle herself from her sister's steel embrace but gave up after she realized that Vivienne wasn't going to let go; she just kept squeezing tighter and tighter.

Vivienne whispered in her ear with a giggle, "I just barely got in about two minutes ago and you're lucky that I got Moody's letter before Mom and Dad or else, you would have been in deep shit."

"Why? Were they going to do more than break my ribs, sis?"

She watched her sister release her then sit up on the bed, "Hello?! You got drunk and spent a night with some weird guy. How old is he anyway?"

Vos rolled her eyes as she realized something when she answered Vivienne, "Now that I think about it, he's your age."

"Well, than that's not that old, I mean I am only 37 and you are 31, " huffed her sister in an informative tone, "Moody said that he was a weirdo and that apparently, he's a Death-Eater and a spy. Sorta cool, dontcha think?"

Vos looked at her sister like she was an idiot and was rewarded with one of Vivienne's famous smirks. She knew that it wasn't a bad thing that her sister was here. It's just that her sister was the total opposite of Vos and that could mean that Snape might actually be killed while she was here.

"Man, I've got a rumble in the jungle, when do we eat around here?"

All of a sudden, Vos realized how much she had missed her family, especially her sister, "Whenever we want. Let's go to the kitchen."

Her sister hopped off the bed and waited for Vos to join her then they headed downstairs.

"So, how was it?"

A question that Vos was going to avoid as much as possible, "How was what?"

"You know."

Vos thought that maybe playing dumb might subdue her sister for awhile, "No, I don't. Why don't you tell me?"

She felt her sister grab her arm before they started down the stairs and stop her, "Now don't be coy. We're both big girls. It's not like it was your fir-"

Vivienne stopped when she saw her sister's mood change from evasive to embarassed, "Oh, God. It was your first time, wasn't it?"

Vos didn't have anything to say to her sister and she wasn't going to let this be one of Vivienne's funny stories that she told so that Vos could be humiliated, "Now, I really don't want to hear it. You know that I never had time for any of that. I am the youngest living _ishiwhite_ in our nation and I didn't accomplish that by being foolish so don't look at me as though I am some freak of nature because I didn't give in to the earthly temptation that screws up everyone's lives, okay?"

Vivienne struck her famous pose of placing her hands on her hips and giving Vos that scrutinizing glance, "Look, I wasn't going to give you a hard time about this. It's not like I didn't expect it. You are after all the weirdest one in the family, spending all of your time studying and fighting when you could have been at powwows, dancing and snagging and having a good time. Believe me, I knew that something was always off about you."

"Wow," stated Vos in a sarcastic voice, "I feel so much better now that I am aware that you know me so well."

Vivienne wasn't amused by her sister's sarcasm, "I came all this way so that Mom and Dad didn't have to find out about this and all I get is a verbal attack mixed with some of your damn sarcasm, you are so ungrateful."

"Okay, you're right. I am sorry. Are you still hungry?"

Vos watched her sister's facial expresssion go from hurt to satisfied, "Yeah. So, where is he?"

She shook her head as Vivienne continued to bombard her with questions about what happened. _How tall is he? Did he really force you? When do I get to see him? Moody said that he is truly disgusting, is that true? Is he good-looking? _

It was amazing to Vos, she didn't realize how many questions Vivienne could ask during a simple walk down the stairs and she was going to tell her to stop but when she entered the kitchen, someone was already in there. Vos thought about walking back out in hope that since his back was to her, he wouldn't notice her if she zipped back through the kitchen door but unfortunately, her sister wasn't as quiet as Vos when she entered the door.

"Is there a reason why this place looks so much like a masoleum?"

Vos could have died from the embarrassment she felt when she saw the way that Snape eyed both of them with instant dislike but it was that special look of disdain in his eyes from when he looked at her that made the feeling of instant death shoot through the roof. He was making a cup of tea and it looked as though he were preparing a healing drought from certain herbs. Her eyes wavered over the herbs that he was using and from the variety that he brewing, she could only conclude that someone must be suffering from internal injuries.

Vivienne, on the other hand, wasn't paying any attention to the tea. Her eyes were scanning over every bit of Snape and although, his face was clearly lacking in the looks department; his body wasn't bad. She could see his shoulder blades as he moved his arms but they weren't protruding in an emaciated way which meant that he was lean and resilient. Vivienne smiled when she looked at his bottom and such a small, tight bottom, it seemed to be. She looked over at her sister and as usual, Vos wasn't even looking at the man; she was looking at the damn herbs he was brewing.

The kitchen was so quiet and tense but as usual, Vos was the only that could feel it because within seconds, Vivienne broke the silence.

"So, what do you have to eat around here?"

Vos came out of her stupor, "Oh, how about a sandwich?"

Vivienne nodded as she took a seat and watched her sister wave an empty hand. The cupboards flew open and everything needed to make a sandwich came rushing out but one of the cupboards popped Severus right on the nose.

Vos noticed and winced apologetically, "Sorry."

"Perhaps, you would be wise to think that for every action of yours there is an equal reaction that could affect others, Ms. Steele."

Vivienne was amazed that such a decrepit creature could contain such a silky voice and his manner was of speaking was more than charming but than again, she didn't like people talking to anyone in her family like that except for herself.

"Or, perhaps, you could be careful where you stick that huge beak of yours. Just a thought."

Vos looked at her sister with shock, "Vivienne!"

Severus looked from one to other and noted the family resemblance, although this new one was obviously the prima donna of the family, "Ms. Steele, your sister, I presume?"

Vos nodded and gave Severus an apologetic look which he seemed to dismiss when suddenly, he clenched his side in pain. As a healer, Vos couldn't stand and watch as her sister would but everything in her was saying that touching him might result in contracting some sort of 'greasy git' disease. _To hell with it_, thought Vos as she rushed to him and helped him stand upright.

As soon as she placed her hands on his side, she knew that this was some sort of a dark spell but it was no longer in operation, "What spell hit you?"

If he was surprised, he didn't show it as he attempted to stand on his own and minimize any physical contact with her, "It is none of your business. Get your food and get out."

"Ooh, he's quite the charmer, sis."

Snape and Vos looked at Vivienne with wonder while she stared back at them with amusement, "So, be honest, who was it that made the first move?"

"Viv, enough."

Vos's sister gave her a dirty look and sat back in the chair while Vos used her magic to clear the table of the sandwich ingredients and to boost a chair underneath Snape so that she could let him go. He sat down in the chair and watched as she looked through his tea that he was preparing.

"Greek Mountain Tea? I would have thought that you of all people would know your teas better."

Snape looked somewhat taken back by her comment but he simply sneered at her, "I assure that I possess more knowledge about brewing tea than you ever will."

Vos looked at him questionably. He was making less scathing remarks than usual and this tea wasn't strong enough. Vos saw his wand sticking out one of his robe pockets, she snatched it and muttered, "_Accio Indian Tea."_

Snape ripped his wand out of her hands as soon as she was finished then started protesting when she wrapped up his bundle of tea and put it on the table in front of him, "I don't recall ever asking for your assistance."

"Too bad."

Her tea came floating through the door and just as it was about to reach her hands, Snape was already snatching it out of the air. Vos held out her hand and then let out an exasperated sigh when she realized that he wasn't going to give it back until he was done examing it. Suddenly, his voice started speaking his thoughts he smelled the tea.

"Sage, mint…wild mint, wild willow, wild raspberry," then he was silent for a moment before looking at her with cold suspicion, "There's something else in here. What is it?"

Vos smiled pleasingly and spoke to him as though he were five years old, "Medicine, that is going to make you feel a whole lot better but it only works if you let me brew it and quit acting like I am going to poison you."

His lip curled and Severus threw the bundle at her in a contemptuous manner but was somewhat disappointed when her reflexes instantly caused her to catch it with little difficulty. Vivienne smiled at her sister and then watched Vos prepare the tea but she wasn't done with this man.

"So, we haven't been introduced," said Vivienne with a smile as she held out her hand, "I am Vivienne Joice Steele."

Snape was trying to sit up in his usual stiff posture and ignore the pain but this sister of Ms. Steele's was quite insufferable; nevertheless, he reluctantly shook her hand with his own, "Severus Snape."

She noted the curtness of his voice, "So, what happened to you?"

"Something that is neither her concern or yours."

Vivienne nodded as though she agreed with him, "I hear that you are a spy and that you are quite the Death-Eater for the Dark Lord. Must be an interesting job."

Snape listened to her with little interest. Vos's sister seemed to be more outspoken, more feminine, and just more woman. That was the only way for him to voice it but as he listened to her, he became more thankful that it was Vos that he had woken up with and not this one.

"It is something that must be seen to in order for the Dark Lord to be defeated and for prosperity to prevail," enunciated Severus, "But if I may enquire exactly how long are you planning to stay?"

Vivienne saw an opportunity to harass this strange angst-ridden man and she seized it, "Oh, for about another nine months if you get my meaning."

Suddenly, Snape felt that the world was spinning and that the room seemed to be getting smaller but it all snapped back to normal when someone slammed a mug filled with tea on the table and another female's voice was snarling, "You are not funny. Excuse us, I am going to have a little talk with my sister about her twisted sense of humor, why don't you drink this tea and then I will be down in a second to check on you."

His attention was on the cup of tea until he noticed Vos rip her sister out of the chair and then practically drag her out of the kitchen. The contents of the tea were swirling in the dark brown depths of the tea and the scent was very different from any other tea that he had brewed before. Snape sipped the tea with caution and waited for any forms of poison to take effect but it seemed that Vos was trying to heal him.

The internal injuries were already mending themselves and any pain that he had been feeling was starting to fade away as he heard them talking. Well, shouting and then there was the sound of someone apparating. Silence came from above for a few seconds then Vos, he assumed, was coming back down the stairs and her footsteps weren't their usual softness.

She entered the kitchen with a sigh and made her way to the nearest chair. As soon as she collapsed in the chair, she looked at him and asked, "Feel better?"

Snape didn't expect her to be so civil and so calm after her disagreement but nothing was out of place. Her eyes seemed distant as though she were simply looking at a wall and her facial expression was detached. He finished the last of the tea, "I am adequate enough but I suppose that you expect me to thank you."

"I am a healer. I only expect you to live."

Those sort of words by no means were ever said to him. Words that depicted their want of him to live and for him to not die some horrible painful death. Severus met her gaze and didn't wane as she expected. He set the cup down, "Are you going to disclose the last ingredient of the tea?"

A small smile came into play and he found himself staring at her lips with an intensity that he didn't know he possessed but he stopped when her eyes lit up in wonder at why he was staring so harshly. Snape knew that no matter how he looked at someone, it always looked as though he was glaring and thinking spiteful thoughts; which usually wasn't far from the truth but at the moment, his thoughts were something else.

"The last ingredient," mused Vos as her smile became a friendly grin, "Well, since you are a fellow herbalist, I will tell you. It has been growing in the region of my people's land for as long as anyone can bring to mind and its name has been lost for that is how long it has been there but we have always called it, _Nua_ tea or the People's tea."

Snape listened with interest then he asked in his usual drawling tone, "Dumbledore informed me that you are to come to Hogwarts. What exactly are you planning to do there?"

"He asked me to teach but I don't know if I want to," she sighed then continued, "I've heard that every year, you apply for the position and yet, you don't get it. Why is that?"

"The Headmaster doesn't seem to think that I am prepared for the position and so, every year, I apply with the hope that perhaps he will assign it to me."

She clicked her tongue to note her turn to speak, "And if I accept, what will you think of me?"

He didn't think even about his words before he said them, "That you are just as insufferable then as you are now."

"Oooh, at least, I can safely say that you are consistant in your vindictiveness," muttered Vos in a controlled tone which caused him to look at her for any of the hurt that his words usually caused his victims but there was none. Her eyes were still bright and her smile hadn't fallen.

That brought another question into his mind, "When we had captured you and had brought you to the Dark Lord, you weren't frightened. Why is that?"

"What was there to be scared of?"

Severus gave her the same scowl that he gave young Gryffindors because their bravery was their stupidity, "There were many things to fear. Death, torture or worse."

Vos was still smiling at his question and it was becoming unnerving as she answered, "Death? Torture? It sounds like having a child and then dying. Both are events that have been known to happen in women's lives so why should I fear either?"

"You answer these questions too easily and you take them too lightly. I have to wonder if perhaps you have already been through these 'event' as you have so delicately put them."

Now that was the response that he was looking for. Her smile faded and she started to give the impression of being uncomfortable with a somewhat sad look in her eyes. Snape didn't sneer or curl his lip or give any other impression of being hard about her reaction.

"I have enjoyed our conversation but I think that I am done and will excuse myself," Vos stood from her chair and then strode over to retrieve her tea before taking her leave out through the kitchen door without another word.

Snape didn't have any response to her departure except surfacing thoughts on the matter at hand and how he was going to cope with this strange enigma of a woman that seemed to be taking over his mind.

**Please review so that I can know whether this is worth continuing...**


	6. Oh God, Dumbledore Knows

_**Chapter Six**_

_**Oh God, Dumbledore Knows**_

_This so damn boring_, Vos thought, _I wonder whether or not, I should really take that teaching position but then again it's been what, 7 weeks? Oh, for heaven's sake, I don't know why I ever decided to come here_.

Then she noticed Kingsley stand up and say something. She didn't really say anything during these "Order" meetings and no one had ever asked her for her opinion. In any case, she knew who most of them were and unfortunately, quite a few of them were the ones that had been present that morning when she had been in that brawl in her underwear with Snape which still got to her whenever she started to think about it.

Her eyes begun to wander around the room and her mind was making strange comments.

_That McGonagall would look ten times better with her hair down._

_I like those boots that Tonks has on._

_I wonder if Snape ever washes his hair?_

_Wait. Why am I wondering about the hygienic practices of a pompous snake?_

Vos shook her head as though rousing herself from sleep then she turned her attention to the current speaker, Remus Lupin. He was saying something about the werewolf community and such, then out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something. A strange blur was speeding around outside the room and she could see it through the crack of door.

What she didn't notice was that Snape had a chair in front of the door and that her eyes were pointed in the direction of a very awkward part of his anatomy. He watched her lean forward in her seat from across the room and then she started to crook her head sideways in a curious manner. Snape glowered at her to get her attention but she was still fixated on looking. He casually flicked his gaze around the room to make sure that no one was watching before he crossed his legs and in a self-conscious way, covered himself with the long part of his cloak. Yet, she was still staring.

"Yes, I agree with Remus and we will conclude this meeting for today and will contact all of you for another meeting at a later date."

Everyone stood up from their chairs, catching Vos's attention and causing her to follow them out. Snape remained in his chair until she was passing then he glowered, "What do you think you are playing at?"

Vos looked at the source of the accusing voice in surprise, "What?"

"Is this some kind of sick joke that you are trying to pull off?"

Everyone had exited out, leaving her alone with him which made her say in her mind with keenness, _There's a good chance that I might not leave this room alive_.

She looked at him with confusion, "I still don't get what you are trying to say."

Severus stood up and looked down at the bewildered witch with a sneer, "Don't think that I didn't notice the way you were staring at me."

A smile of relief broke out onto her face, "Oh, that? There was somethi-"

"I don't care. Do it again and I will impose horrors upon you of which you would have never dreamt possible."

That broke her smile and he didn't wait for her reply. Snape swept out the room and Vos watched him leave wordlessly but she couldn't think too hard on it because Dumbledore came back into the room.

He smiled at her, "Vos, I was wondering if I could a word with you?"

She nodded and sat back down in one of the chairs with her arms crossed.

Dumbledore looked at her with curiosity but he had noticed who was the last to be in the room with her so he assumed that her attitude must be the result of a delicate matter concerning a certain Potions Master but he was interested in something else, "Have you thought about the offer?"

"I have and," then she paused and sat up straight, "Dumbledore, I can't seem to understand why you would ask me to do this when it wasn't the original reason that I came here in the first place."

The elder wizard smiled through his silver beard and looked down through his spectacles as the perplexed witch sitting in front of him, "I asked you to do this because after seeing what happened between you and Severus-"

"Don't remind me."

Vos couldn't help but wonder how anyone could smile at that thought but there was Dumbledore grinning and his eyes were twinkling, "You both seem to keep each other on your toes and I have a feeling that you have some unresolved business with him."

She could feel like he was implying something. Something that had been on her mind for some time but she wasn't sure, "What do you mean?"

"When were you planning on telling him, my dear?"

Vos shook her head as she realized that he did know her fear, "I wasn't even certain about any of it but after today, I know that it's for sure."

He placed a finger underneath her chin and tilted her eyes up to meet his, "Yes, the change is upon you. Already, your eyes are showing it."

She nodded sadly and before she could control it, her eyes were leaking tears, "It wasn't suppose to happen like this. I am not suppose to be this weak."

"You are only human. Isn't it human to feel helpless?"

Her hands were trying to wipe away the tears but more kept rolling out "It's true but I shouldn't let this get to me. I am a warror, I am _ishiwhite_, this is the test that I am supposed to pass and already, I have failed it. I am pregnant and I don't even remember how it happened."

**I know that it's not long but been so busy. Just review.**


	7. Promises And Missing Boxers

**As though I need to remind anyone but JK Rowling owns everything. *Cries***

**Chapter Seven**

**Promises and Missing Boxers**

Dumbledore reached into his robes and drew out a handkerchief for her while observing, "You seem to be more disappointed with yourself then you do with Severus."

Vos had taken the cloth and she was wiping her eyes but that last statement made her smile, "I am the one who is carrying the child, not him and besides, he has a task which he seems to be set on doing and more than likely, he's not going to survive. Is he, Dumbledore?"

The question brought forth a sad smile from Dumbledore as he shook his head and spoke to her in a soft voice, "I expect that many of us won't make it through this war but Severus is one of those that seems as though he is more than likely to die."

"If I tell him, do you think that he will take it well?"

The old man gave a small nonchalant shrug while saying with great emphasis, "Severus is a complicated person but he is a brave man, a good man and although, he hasn't always been the friendliest of people; there is more to him than meets the eye. Speaking of eyes," Dumbledore scanned Vos's eyes, "What are you going to do about yours?"

She exhaled resignedly then she started staring drearily at the handkerchief in her hands, "Well, magic doesn't work on the effects of pregnancy in Goshute women like the oncoming lightening of eyes so I guess that I will have to resort to the muggle means of contact lenses and as for the oncoming expansion," Vos put her hands on her stomach then she said thoughtfully, "I know of a clothing charm that can help me hide it but if I go home then it's no use so I guess that I will have to stay and so that means I will have to take your offer."

"And Severus?"

Vos searched the wizard's eyes as she spoke with a reflective tone, "I just don't know if I want to tell him. He doesn't seem to even like me and he's a dangerous man in a dangerous position. Would I want to involve him in this? What if he wants me to do away with-"

Dumbledore stopped that last thought as he put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "He won't, I can promise you that but a thought as occurred to me, do you love him?"

"To be honest,"Vos said as she took it into account, "I don't know about that but there are old codes in my tribe. '_We do not love until we have judged the human being to be worthy of love'_ and I don't really know him so I am in doubt on that subject."

The headmaster looked at her perceptively before saying, "And I suppose that it is impossible for Goshutes to fall in love?"

"It's not impossible. Improbable but not impossible. We do not love for self-seeking reasons but for consistency so that we remain humble in love or so they say."

Dumbledore opened his mouth to act in response but Vos had summoned a chair from across the room and it scooped him up but he thanked her, "Ah, that's better. Now, Vos, will you still be able to perform your duties as both a teacher and a guardian over the school or do you think your pregnancy will be a hindrance?"

She smiled and nodded, "Of course, it will be a small hindrance but I am still capable of dueling and all that other wonderful stuff. The only real problem will be when I deliver and according to tradition, I must remain with the child for at least a month after."

"I don't see any problem with that but you must promise me that you will tell Severus. Do you promise?"

Those blue eyes were twinkling at her but this time, they were serious and they were making her feel somewhat obligated. Vos didn't dare look away because then he might think her cowardly but she didn't want to promise something that she might not be able to do, "Oh, I guess so. Yes, I promise that I will tell the troublesome scumbag."

His smile returned as he rose from the chair, "At least, I know that you don't dislike him…..that much."

She watched him exit then she collapsed in the chair with her own heavy thoughts but she wasn't alone. Minutes passed before she heard the mutterings.

"Disgusting filth marching around my mistress's house……if only the Mistress Black were still alive."

Vos looked around the room for anyone that might have snuck in then her eyes found the house-elf. He was creepy, decrepit, and he seemed to be ranting. She called out coldly to him, "Hello? Who are you?"

He looked at her as though she were a ghost, "Who are you to speak to Kreacher, a loyal servant of the house of Black?"

"Umm, I am Vos Leandra Steele, daughter and _ishiwhite_ of the house of Steele. It is a pleasure to meet you, Kreacher."

She offered her hand but he simply grimaced at it, "Yes. Kreacher remembers. You are a pure-blood?"

"Yes, I am."

Kreacher gave her a smile and a small bow then he said with suspicion, "But you are helping them fight the Dark Lord, why?"

"I am somewhat of a mercenary. I am here for my own interests but there are some here who I wouldn't mind dueling sometime."

The house-elf nodded as though he understood then he patted her hand in a reassuring manner, "Would you like to meet my mistress?"

Vos looked at him with curiosity, "Sure. Where is she?"

Kreacher gestured for her to follow him and he led her out of the room then they proceeded down the hallway to a covered portrait. Vos stared at it uncertainly while Kreacher pulled off the cloth that was covering it. Once uncovered, the portrait depicted an older woman who looked hellish and worn yet there was a certain fierceness in her eyes as she stared back at Vos.

"Mistress, this is a daughter of the house of Steele," Kreacher explained to the picture, "She is a pure-blood."

The woman still stared at Vos with interest before saying, "What is your name, child?"

"Vos Leandra Steele."

Vos watched the portrait eye her with interest, "You are from one of the old families in America?"

Vos nodded and faced the picture with as much impassity as she could muster, "I am and I am aware of who you are. I was just curious about who Kreacher's mistress was."

"You are the lastest generation of Steele?"

Vos raised an eyebrow in thought, "Yes."

"If you are the _ishiwhite_ in your family than where is your talisman?"

_Now there's an unexpected question_, thought Vos but she answered, "Around. It goes where it chooses. That is the way of the Goshute warrior to not depend on the amulet alone but on everything else around them."

She smiled coldly then her eyes turned to something behind Vos and it was causing her to screech, "Filthy Mud-blood! How dare you tread upon the sacred ground of the House of Black!"

Vos directed her attention to whoever was behind her. It was three kids, a girl and two boys. The redheaded boy was one of the Weasleys but the other two were unfamiliar to Vos. They walked off to the kitchen without saying anything but that didn't stop the portrait from screeching.

Kreacher glared off at the children until he noticed Vos picking up the cloth, "What are you doing?"

Vos looked at him with a raised eyebrow then at the screaming portrait before she blew on the cloth and said, "Hush."

The house-elf watched her throw the cloth back over the portrait. It instantly enveloped the picture but the noise was still there until Vos spoke up.

"I said hush!"

Her outburst instantly stopped all sound from the portrait. Kreacher glared at Vos, "What have you done to my mistress?"

"Nothing. She is unharmed. Just take the cloth off when you want to speak to her but when she starts to make too much noise then put the cloth back on and the spell will take affect," affirmed Vos in a detached voice as she took in the house-elf's glare of dislike.

"You is not nice. Take these back."

Vos felt a shudder of surprise when the little elf threw her missing boxers at her. She caught them then looked at him with suspicion, "How did you get these?"

"Mistress Steele was indisposed the first night that she arrived so Kreacher made sure that the young mistress was comfortable," Kreacher answered sullenly as he looked at the portrait with longing then he looked back at Vos when he heard her tapping her foot impatiently, "You told Kreacher that it was too hot than you threw these at me and told me to take them."

She tried to remember that but her mind was blank. Then she realized that if Kreacher was there that night, he might know what happened, "Did anything else happened?"

"Kreacher doesn't know. Kreacher disappeared after the Dark Lord's servant came."

Vos knew who he meant but she just nodded sadly, "Thanks. I am going to go to my room now."

She left Kreacher standing next to the portrait as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom, her mind swirled through one idea after another and yet, she still had no idea as to what exactly happened that night.


End file.
